Egg allergies and especially dairy allergies are much more common in very young children. So inevitably, a sizeable minority of people wanting to cook with toddlers will be cooking with one (or have one in the family) with a milk or egg allergy or both.

However this isn't the only reason that Tickle Fingers likes creating and promoting egg-free recipes. One of the benefits of cooking with toddlers is to allow them to explore food in a fun, relaxed environment. It can help develop a positive relationship with food; encouraging them to try new things. To maximise this benefit, you need to let them get stuck in; feel the food and try it. But, if you're cooking with a food that isn't safe for them to eat, like raw egg, then you have a problem. Generally, toddlers love to lick and they don't understand if one minute you're encouraging them to try the food and the next you're shouting at them to stop. I know lots of Mums are fairly relaxed about children licking a little cake batter with raw egg in, and for older child, perhaps you could risk it. But eggs can carry salmonella, which, unless cooked to kill it, would cause a nasty case of food poisoning. NHS guidance is clear that high risk groups, which includes babies and toddlers, who could struggle to fight off salmonella, should not have uncooked egg.

You can teach an older toddler to check before they taste something. Teaching them that some food isn't safe to eat uncooked is an important lesson to learn. However with a child who is too young or headstrong to understand, you have 2 options: don't let them lick and taste or simply don't cook with raw egg. I find going with the latter option is the most stress-free way to go.

Going egg-free doesn't mean you have to give up on baking cakes or biscuits. Here are our top10 free-from recipes that are easy for toddlers to cook:

6. Chocolate Biscuit Cake from the Tickle Fingers Cookbook. (no eggs or nuts; for dairy allergies, make sure you check the biscuits are free-from milk - some brands are and some aren't - and grease pan with oil or dairy-free spread)

10. Eggless Carrot Cake by Hungry Little Veggie One to make with an older toddler because of the number of ingredients, but we love a carrot cake so had to put this one in. (no eggs or diary; has nuts but could leave them out).

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